“Like a restless wind I keep moving on
And I can’t seem to stay in one place too long”
- Road House lyrics to “Road Man”-
Driving, kayaking, hiking – whatever it takes to find interesting and appealing photoimages to share – has now become my way of life. During the past year I have crossed the U.S. and Canada several times, including such destinations as Ketchikan, Alaska, Key West, Florida and Stornoway, Scotland. And I keep moving on.
On traveling: I drive a Toyota 4-Runner with a top-mounted tent. This gives me the ability to travel wherever my desires may lead me. I bring along a small cabinet with food and utensils, camp stove, lots of water, and sleeping gear.
Surprisingly, many of my camping spots while I’m on the road are truck stops. Sometimes they can also give rise to some eye-opening storm photos as this picture (taken in North Dakota) readily shows! However, given the constant diesel engine noise, earplugs are essential!
On photography: My focus is mostly (not solely) on landscapes. I use Nikons (D90 and D800) exclusively. My primary lenses are a Nikkor DX 18-200 mm; and the fantastic Nikkor 14-24 mm lens. I use a Giottos tripod (MT9251) with a Acratech ball head-a perfect combination for my type of work. Post-processing software primarily includes Photoshop CS6 and the Nik Software suite. And I’m also not opposed to modifying the original image so as to bring out a more “graphic” image, as for example, the photo here of the Grand Tetons. What counts is that the final image is interesting and pleasing to both the artist and the viewer. That is always my goal.
Why have a blog? My website is primarily for sharing my travel experiences and photographic knowledge. Selling my photos also validates their value, which is important to any artist. So this blog gives you the opportunity to get to know me and to send me your comments. I encourage you to let me know what you like and what you don’t like on my website. And I welcome any questions you may have such as “how did you do that?” I look forward to hearing from you all. And I look forward to keeping you all informed about my travels and photographic methods.
Tags: David G Ritchie Photography, Grand Tetons, North Dakota